Friday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Prime Video picks up Peacock

NBC Universal-backed streamer Peacock is to become available on Amazon’s Prime Video in the US.

The deal will enable Prime Video customers to subscribe to ad-free streaming tier Peacock Premium Plus for $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year.

Peacock offers on-demand entertainment shows, news, and sports content, as well as access to live, local NBC channels. The streamer is also available via Amazon’s Fire TV, while Universal films can be rented or bought via Prime Video. 

Prime Video said the partnership is part of its “strategy of becoming a comprehensive entertainment hub where customers can customise their streaming experience while accessing content from multiple providers.” Amazon struck a similar pact with Fox last week.

MFE set to secure ProSieben control

MediaForEurope (MFE) is poised to finally take control of German broadcast giant ProSiebenSat.1, following news that rival shareholder PPF has agreed to sell its stake to the Berlusconi-backed company.

The deal means Czech investment firm PPF will cede its 15.7% stake in ProSieben to MFE, while also ending its offer to buy shares in the German broadcaster.

MFE’s own offer to shareholders earlier in the summer saw it secure a 43.6% stake in ProSieben, paving the way for PPF’s decision.

PPF said the “limited acceptance” of its own offer made it “impossible… to continue its original role as a strategic investor. MFE’s shareholding is very likely sufficient to secure a simple majority at every ProSiebenSat.1 shareholder meeting,” it added.

Envy buys Halo in UK post shake-up 

Envy Group has acquired the Halo Group, creating the UK’s largest privately-owned post-production outfit. 

This sees Halo, Evolutions, which Halo Group only acquired itself last year, and its new location media management division Relay join existing Envy brands, Envy Post, Capture, Absolute, and Blind Pig. The resulting organisation is a full service production and post partner working across high-end drama, feature films, entertainment, factual, and documentaries, through to commercials, branded content, animation, and VFX. 

Halo co-founders John Rogerson and Alan Jones move into senior leadership roles within Envy Group, along with some of the other Halo management team. The Halo Group brands, including Evolutions, will be kept for now, and assessed while they transition into Envy Group.

All staff and facilities, including the new Soho facility Halo opened this summer, will continue as normal, with clients working with the same people and services as before. Read more